1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chair or sofa including a refrigeration compartment mounted within an armrest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chairs and sofas including a refrigerated storage compartment are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,764 to Cook (the "Cook patent") teaches a chair having an armrest with a beverage holding cooler incorporated therein, operatively associated with a refrigeration system and a small refrigeration compartment in the vertical side portion of the chair. The Cook patent utilizes a conventional mechanical compression expansion type refrigeration system including a compressor coil and motor compressor unit, having adequate capacity to cool the contents of the cold storage unit and the beverage can or bottle holding cooler. The system disclosed in the Cook patent is not adaptable to provide heat to the compartment.
The refrigeration compartment disclosed in the Cook patent is accessed by an exposed side door. Its beverage cooling holder consists of an cylindrical opening in the upper surface of an armrest, extending into the armrest, into which a can or bottle may be inserted. Evaporation coils are positioned adjacent to the beverage cooling holder and extend into the interior of the refrigeration compartment in order to maintain a reduced temperature.
The components of the refrigeration system disclosed in the Cook patent require substantial space. Additionally, access to the refrigeration compartment through the exposed side door may not be as convenient as access through an upwardly opening lid. As such, there is a need for a chair or sofa with a compartment which utilizes a more space efficient cooling means, which may easily be converted to a heating compartment and which may be easily accessed.